Saint Peter and Paul, Apostles

‘Who do you say I am?’
Grant, we pray, O Lord our God,
that we may be sustained
by the intercession of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul,
that, as through them you gave your Church
the foundations of her heavenly office,
so through them you may help her to eternal salvation.
Please note, in some places this Sunday is celebrated as the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time - you can download the refection sheet below.
Following Eastertide and several major feasts, we now celebrate Saints Peter and Paul before returning to the regular Sundays of Ordinary Time. We pray that their faith and example will encourage us at this time.
The First Reading gives us an account of how Peter escaped prison while the Christian community prayed continuously for him.
The Psalm is a song of praise and thankfulness for the psalmist’s own delivery, as he encourages us to ‘taste and see that the Lord is good.’
St Paul, too, in the Second Reading, is full of gratitude. He praises the Lord for rescuing him and enabling him to continue proclaiming God’s message.
The Gospel narrates the important moment when Jesus asks his disciples, ‘Who do people say I am?’ Peter’s reply earns his designation as leader of the community.
May the faith of Peter and Paul and their dedication to spreading Jesus’s message encourage us this week in our daily living.